Santa Ana boxing coach sentenced in molest case

An Orange County boxing coach will spend two years in prison for sexually assaulting two 14-year-old boys.

Anthony Serrano, 45, met the victims through a Santa Ana boxing club.

He pleaded guilty to four felony counts of lewd acts on a child. He could have faced up to five years in prison if convicted at trial. His attorney said Serrano took the plea deal in part because he did not want the boys to have to testify.

One of the victims told the court he regularly attends therapy because of the trauma of the assault. Deputy District Attorney Keith Burke said that victim was molested by Serrano between April and May 2011.

The second victim was molested between May and October 2006, Burke said, adding that the boy reported the sexual abuse in 2008, but charges were not filed at that time due to insufficient corroboration.

In addition to his prison sentence, Serrano will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.